Duty Bound
by Lady Red 88
Summary: Kougaiji once encountered a god bound to a duty he did not believe in just as he was and wondered if they should ever meet again. With things climaxing, what happens when he begins to see connections between the god and Genjo Sanzo of all people? HIATUS


**Duty Bound **

_Written by Lady Red _

**Author's Note:** Hi all! Okay, this is a spontaneous piece and it'll be updated whenever I feel like it pretty much. No yaoi or anything and no character death probably so you guys don't need to worry about that. Apologies to all you yaoi lovers though. Have fun and let me know what you think!

P.S. This piece can stand alone if you like but for those of you who want more than you're lucky because there will be more.

P.P.S. Inuyasha is so similar to Saiyuki (although it's set at least over 500 years before Saiyuki I'm guessing) that I may have bits and pieces slip in here and there just to make it interesting.

**Disclaimer: **I solemnly swear Saiyuki isn't mine and nor do I make any profit from this piece. You guys know the drill, it's just a fan piece and I have no interest in making money out of it. I merely want to improve my writing and hopefully entertain you guys a little along the way.

**Prologue: **

Something wet trickled down the side of his face. If he fooled himself, he could almost believe it was the rain but he knew it wasn't. It never was.

_Thump, thump…_

The sound of his breathing was harsh in his sensitive ears – he almost wished it would stop but who was he to think such selfish thoughts?

_Thump, thump… _

He didn't deserve death now. To grant it to him was like giving a child what it wanted just because you wanted it to stop screaming at you even though you'd said no.

_Thump, thump… _

All around him they lay scattered: hundreds of bodies that he'd slaughtered with his own hands. He remembered each and every face which seemed to blur into a long list, joining hundreds of thousands of other faces that belonged to people he'd killed for a cause he didn't believe in.

Damn it all! Why did he have to be born a Prince? Why did his duty restrict him like this and force him to such terrible acts? He felt so tainted and abused.

_Thump, thump…_

And worst of all, it was his father of all people who had forced him to do this. Throwing away his son's happiness instead of protecting it! How could he do such a thing to his own flesh and blood?

He'd thought his heart dead a long time ago; burned away to nothing by his father's ambitions. Hell, maybe it was.

_Thump, thump… _

But if it was…

_Thump, thump… _

then what was this sound…

_Thump, thump… _

beating in his ears?

Kougaiji didn't want to know. He was so sick of everything and so tired of his own people.

The demon Prince glanced down at his bloodied hands. They were hands like anybody else's and seemingly innocent once you took away the blood. It only they weren't clawed…

Kougaiji had no desire to be human but in this instance, he almost wished he was. What would it be like? Would he be any less able to commit such acts? He supposed not. Being human only meant he'd find other, more cunning means to fulfil his father's wishes all because his pride demanded he stick to his duty as a son.

"Hey…"

Kougaiji stirred. Was someone calling him? Who would be calling him out here in the middle of this bloodied battlefield? The very skies themselves seemed dark with sadness and despair. It was crushing him, weighing down as he stood amongst the corpses of the human army he'd destroyed at his father's bidding. He couldn't imagine anyone coming out here to look for him. The last demon that had tried he'd fractured their jaw.

He glanced up slowly, the deep crimson of his hair parting to reveal the battlefield.

Kougaiji didn't notice the bodies as he slowly turned in the direction of the voice. He knew his blood splattered appearance must be disturbing to behold but when he finally found his quarry, he only encountered mild distain.

How could this be? He was a mess and it was clear he had done this. Was this human standing not ten metres away not frightened by his appearance?

Slowly however, Kougaiji's senses began to rouse themselves and he realised this 'human' standing before him, was not as he appeared.

He stood, barefooted amongst the refuse without a drop of blood on his countenance. His features were fine, almost beautiful even from the long golden hair swaying gently in the breeze to the flawless skin and deep eyes of violet fire.

Kougaiji knew he could bet his life that this man was not another ordinary human.

The wind shifted round to the east, blowing directly from behind the newcomer. Not a single scent drifted towards him from the man; only blood and other stenches Kougaiji cared not to pay attention to. Something seemed to crackle within the air and Kougaiji shivered a little. He wasn't sure what is was but it felt strange and alien; just like the man in front of him.

"Hey," repeated the stranger.

Kougaiji blinked slowly. The man's voice was deep and perhaps a little rough, giving nothing away. The tone however, sounded irritated and if the frown on the fine features was any indication, then the man probably _was. _

"What?" murmured Kougaiji. His voice sounded distant to his ears, as if his emotions were being crushed and he was watching everything from far away.

"Why are you standing around? Don't you have some other human army to be off demolishing?"

The tone was sarcastic now but it was enough to help Kougaiji revive himself a little. Why should he care anyway?

"I don't kill for pleasure," he replied dully. "Besides, what I do and do not do is none of your business."

The man snorted and crossed his arms with a casualness that only continued to confuse Kougaiji.

"Do I look like I care? The affairs of demons and humans are no concern of mine. All you need to know is that I require something and I merely came to get it. You however, are in my way."

Kougaiji looked at the man. What kind of an answer was that? It made no sense and he was almost tempted to remark upon it but decided against it instead.

Head suddenly bowing, Kougaiji turned and quietly walked away. He would let the human have what he wanted, it wasn't any of his business.

He heard no footsteps behind him but he sensed the other move. After a moment he heard a sigh, so soft he almost missed it.

His heart felt like lead in that moment but even then, curiosity got the better of him and he stopped and glanced back over his shoulder.

The man was kneeling beside the final victim Kougaiji had slain. It was the leader of the army; a young man with bronzed skin and bright blue eyes framed by a long mane of black hair. Kougaiji vaguely recalled he was the son of a lord to the East or something and was very much loved by his people. If possible though, Kougaiji only wanted to forget that fact.

As he watched, the man reached down and withdrew a pendent from the man's neck. He couldn't see what was on the pendent but it was evidently what the man had come for as he wound the cord around it and slipped it into his pocket.

The man's face was blank which puzzled Kougaiji but he politely reached down and closed the dead lord's eyes.

Standing, his eyes caught Kougaiji looking at him. His face remained impassive however as he to turned and walked away.

The eye contact broken, Kougaiji felt a shiver run up his spine. In that moment, he was sure that this god – because that was the only kind of being he could be – could have killed him in an instant if he had chosen to. His duty however, was apparently not to interfere and retrieve the pendent instead.

Something though, perhaps in the man's eyes as he had looked away, had hinted that he yearned to ignore the command; that he wanted to forget about his duty and follow the beat of his own drum.

Kougaiji felt a strange connection suddenly grow between them, bonding them in ways neither could understand. Both were bound to a duty they didn't believe in nor wished to keep. Kougaiji couldn't explain how he recognised this in the other but the knowledge was there and the demon Prince was certain the god understood his own situation as well.

He stood silently as he watched the lithe figure walk away and suddenly in the blink of an eye, the man simply faded away to nothing, leaving Kougaiji standing alone of the battle field.

"Bound to duty," he said softly.

No one heard him but it didn't matter. Those words were for him alone, a reminder of his imposed prison and one he had recognised in another, god or not.

Kougaiji wondered if he'd see the golden haired god again, so beautiful to behold and yet so empty.

Perhaps…

Who knew after all?

Sighing, Kougaiji turned away and resumed his walk. The emotionless, if somewhat irritated mask slid back into place, firmly locking his own thoughts and feelings away beneath a pair of violet eyes…eyes just like the golden haired god.


End file.
